Behind the Words
by Kieno0324
Summary: The outburst itself was unusual. The words he said in response to Hirota's accusations about Gene's death made a certain type of sense if looked at through Noll colored lenses. However, Mai can't help but feel as if there's something below the surface. Something behind his words. She realizes it's time for him to admit the truth. Even if she has to drag it out of him.


So, this is set immediately after Naru explains (*ahem*shouts*ahem*) why he's so angry about the discovery of Gene's body when it has decomposed so badly. I couldn't help but think there was something underlying that outburst. Therefore, this was born. Please excuse any and all typos as it's late but I wanted to get this out. Please review and let me know what you think.

EDIT: For the typos I didn't catch. Nothing of substance added.

* * *

"He's just that—a mad scientist." Takigawa said once it was just him, Masako, and Mai in a separate room. The latter of three had managed to drag him away from the kitchen where Naru was, undoubtedly, still tearing into Hirota when he'd had the nerve to accuse the younger twin of killing his own brother.

"From the bottom of my heart, I'm glad I'm not part of his family." Masako said as she raised her sleeve to cover her mouth. Mai understood the sentiment. Even she had been surprised at Naru's reasoning for being angry that an autopsy could not be performed on Gene's body. She glanced at Takigawa when the man hummed in agreement.

"Let's make a pact. If any of us die on a case, the surviving members hide the body from that scientist." the blonde suggested. Mai blinked at him before sighing as she shook her head. Masako seemed to have a similar reaction as she just raised her eyebrow at the man.

"I'm going to go back to base." Mai told them as she slipped out of the room. She found she wanted to be left alone with her thoughts. She walked silently towards the room that housed their equipment as she thought about what Naru had said about Gene's body. 'Naru's never raised his voice like that before. Not even when I know I've provoked him to the point he loses control.'

Mai blinked when she realized she had stopped in front of the door that led into their current base of operations. She let out a soft sigh before sliding the door open. She blinked in surprise when she saw it was only Naru in the room. He glanced at her for only a moment before turning his gaze back to the monitors. She stepped into the room and made sure to slide the door shut behind her. She was sure he wouldn't want anyone to ease-drop on the conversation she was about to instigate. It was going to be uncomfortable for her. She knew it was going to be even more uncomfortable for him because it was going to force him to face his emotions. The horror.

"If you're just going to stand there and stare, make yourself useful. Go help Lin check the temperatures." he told her. She kept from scowling as she took a deep breath.

"I figured you'd still be lecturing Hirota-san." she told him. He didn't respond. She took another breath before continuing. "You really freaked Bou-san and Masako-chan out with what you said about Gene. They've started planning the many ways in which they can hide a body from you."

Naru still didn't respond. If Mai had been any other person she would have given up but she was stubborn. She had an idea about why Naru had said what he had but she did not want to bring it up in front of everyone. She knew the mere suggestion of this particular idea would not only cause Naru to shut down but possibly freeze everything within a 100 meter radius. They did not need the manager of the Japanese SPR collapsing on his first case after returning to the country.

"I think you lied." she told him. She noticed the way his shoulders tensed and knew she had unearthed part of the truth. "I just have to wonder why you'd lie."

"What makes you think I lied? I'm a parapsychologist. I research the paranormal. Gene was a genius medium and the chance to figure out what made him tick would have been a major advancement for the paranormal community. I didn't lie." he told her as he turned to look at her. She watched as he leaned on the table with his arms crossed.

"Perhaps. But you left out part of it, didn't you? Part of the reason you were so angry that it took almost a year to find him." she told him. She could see his eyes narrow and the chill that went down her spine told her to tread carefully. If he was already making the temperature drop, subconsciously or not, before she had gotten to the heart-of-the-matter she knew he knew where she was headed with this conversation.

"I told you why I was angry. Perhaps you should go help Lin like I told you." he told her. She glared at him before crossing her own arms. She was not going to give in so easily. She knew he mourned the loss of his twin as more than a test subject. She knew he wasn't the cold scientist that he was always trying to make himself out to be. She had seen behind his wall, seen the emotion his eyes could hold. Even if the most memorable time had been an experience that nearly crushed her heart.

"No. You told everyone the reason you want them to know. The reason you want them to think of when they look at you. Not the real reason, Naru." she told him. She watched as he straightened and knew she had struck another cord in him. She knew this was going to be painful for him but she also knew he needed to tell someone. She doubted he had even told his parents what he was feeling.

"And you think you know that reason?" he asked in a flat voice. She swallowed as she had only heard that tone of voice one other time. The time she had accused him of never knowing what it was like to be killed, to feel the life drain out of your body. She still felt like a fool when she thought back on that conversation and the deadened look in his eyes.

"Yes. I do." she responded softly. She studied his eyes for a moment only to swallow as she saw his eyes go blank.

"No. You don't. Get to work." he told her coolly.

"It's because you couldn't identify him. It's because you couldn't look at him and know for absolutely certain that it was your brother. The only reason you could know that the person they found in the lake was your brother was because you had lived through it. There had been no way for you to identify him to the authorities. I know they had to do that through dental records. Madoka told me. That's why you were so angry it took a year to locate him. It wasn't because you could no longer test on him or whatever excuse you gave the others. It was because you could not look at him and know with absolute certainty you had finally found your twin brother." she blurted out. She felt her eyes widen as Naru straightened up completely as his arms fell to his side. She opened her mouth to apologize, she had not meant to go so far and was completely out-of-line, but Naru responded before she could get a chance.

"What would you know about any of that?" he demanded. She swallowed before deciding she had come this far. There was no reason to back down now.

"Nothing. Not personally at least. My mother told me when my father was killed in his accident that she hadn't been able to identify the body. It had only been through dental records that they were able to identify him. I could never forget the look in her eyes when she would talk about it. You had the same look in your eyes when you were talking about Gene." she told him.

"You decided that I was upset by not being able to identify Gene because your mother was upset when she was unable to identify your father? You are truly not meant to be a researcher, Mai. Your evidence is flimsy at best." he told her.

"Flimsy?! What flimsy?! If I'm not right then why did you come all the way over here to find him when you could have just filed a missing persons report with the police and let them handle it?!" she demanded.

"As I've already said-"

"Quit with the bullshit, Naru! Just because you say something over and over doesn't make it true! For once just tell me the truth! You have lied to me nearly the entire time we've known each other so please...tell me. Why? Why did you come here to find him?" she demanded as her energy began to drain from her. She felt exhausted. They stood in silence for so long that she was sure he would not answer her. She let out a soft sigh and began to turn away before he spoke.

"He needed to be brought home."

"Home? You came to look for him so you could take him home?" she repeated. All she received was a nod. She blinked back tears before moving closer to him. She knew he would not allow her to touch him so she could only hope her aura could provide him with some sort of comfort even though she was unsure if he could feel her aura.

"Being unable to identify him was not the problem. That was not the reason I was truly angry. I was angry at how long it took to find him. His grave should have not been at the bottom of a lake." he told her. She felt her eyes widen at the uncharacteristic way he had just volunteered the information without her having to pry it from him with a hypothetical crowbar.

"That's why you were so angry." she whispered. She glanced at him as he cleared his throat.

"Yes. Identifying him was never the problem. I know what he looked like. I'm reminded every day what he looked like by simply looking in the mirror." he told her. She swallowed at the pain she heard in his voice. She wanted to reach out to him but knew he would not welcome the touch. She supposed it was necessary to put up such strong walls when someone's simple touch could potentially drag you into their darkest memories.

"You're wrong." she whispered. She knew she had caught him off-guard from the way his eyes widened slightly. If she had been anyone else she would have not even noticed the slight change in expression.

"We were identical, Mai." he told her. She kept the scowl from her face despite the fact he had used his normal condescending tone on her.

"I know that. I just meant...well, I guess to me you really aren't identical. I can tell the two of you apart. Well, I can now that I know there is someone else that looks like you. It's your eyes that set the two of you apart. His eyes...they're warm, welcoming and friendly. Your eyes...yours hold a wall in them that tells everyone to stay away. It's kind of like a 'no trespassing' sign. You say that identifying him wasn't a problem but you're wrong and you know that." she told him. She saw the pain flash in his eyes and knew she was right. She gave him a small smile as she wrapped her arms around her waist.

"I know it may not mean much coming from me, Naru, but he was my friend as well. I mean...I didn't meet him until after he was already gone. And I didn't know he was not a figment of my imagination. But that doesn't matter because despite all of that he was my friend. I wish I could tell him that because I feel so bad for mistaking him as you. I would feel the same if I had mistaken you for him before you get it in your mind that it's because I care more for him. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you need to talk to someone...someone that's not from England but someone that will understand...I'm here to listen." she told him as she kept her eyes locked with his. He hadn't looked away from her as she spoke which told her had actually been listening. The soft smile he awarded her with caused her heart to start pounding and her cheeks to tint.

"How is that you see straight through me, Mai? When no one else can?" he asked her. She smiled at him before taking a step back. This was not the time to be confessing again. He wasn't ready for that. Not yet. She would let him know her answer when the time was right. She had been confused when she confessed the first time but she'd had time to think. She'd had time to think back and realize who it was that she truly cared for. Her dream Naru had been wonderful but the real Naru had managed to snag her heart simply by being himself. Gene had simply showed her that Naru, his ice-cube of a brother, was capable of warmth. She would be eternally thankful to the older twin for giving her a glimpse of what Naru's true self could be. She knew Naru would never be like Gene but that's why she loved him. As much as she complained about his personality she wouldn't trade it for the world.

"You aren't as hard to read as you think, Naru. We could all tell you were upset when Hirota-san confronted you. I just was able to see there was a little more to your explanation, which by the way was slightly creepy, than what the others saw." she told him. He shook his head as he turned away from her. She allowed the scowl to finally form as she moved to stand next to him.

"Seriously. They really were planning on how to hide dead bodies when I came in here." she told him.

"Mai?"

"Yes?"

"Be quiet."

"_Tell that idiot scientist to stop being so creepy. I'm dead. I shouldn't be able to get cold chills."_

_ "You tell him."_

_ "No way."_


End file.
